


Matchmaker

by juxtapose



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M, Matchmaking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-02
Updated: 2012-01-02
Packaged: 2017-10-28 18:10:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/310694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juxtapose/pseuds/juxtapose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sir Gwaine, Knight of Camelot, was certainly not stupid. He knew love when he saw it. (Set pre-series 4)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Matchmaker

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first post here on AO3 so I am a bit nervous to say the least. I'll be posting a lot of work that maybe some of you have already read on LJ, but I hope those of you who haven't enjoy them. **Disclaimer** : _Merlin_ belongs to BBC and Shine, not to me. This was written for entertainment purposes only.

Gwaine had to admit he had many faults, but he was not stupid.

(. . . Actually, no. He decided a while ago he was essentially perfect in every possible way, so let's backtrack.)

Gwaine was essentially perfect in every possible way, the least of those ways being his agile mind.

Sir Gwaine, Knight of Camelot, was certainly not stupid.

He knew love when he saw it.

\---

It's a hot evening, and Gwaine finds himself sitting up against the rough bark of a tree, leaning back and closing his eyes.

They'd been hunting this magical beast for days on end (Gwaine is so tired he can't even recall its name anymore. All he knows is that it was big, it was menacing, and it had a pair of fangs. Enough said). Finally, earlier that afternoon, Sir Leon had spotted it in the depths of the forest. It had been difficult to fight. Elyan lay with an injured arm across from him, and everyone else seems to be bogged down with fatigue which had earlier led Arthur to make the decision to set up camp for the rest of the night.

And, hell, is it _hot_.

Gwaine is faintly aware of thick weight on his left shoulder and looks down, almost shoving his face into a muss of dark hair.

Merlin is sleeping on his shoulder.

Gwaine chuckles a bit and leans back again carefully, trying not to jostle the kid. He's not about to wake him up, not after everything he's been through.

Arthur always complains how useless Merlin is, but Gwaine knows better.

He has a certain feeling about how in fights like these that look like losing battles, with large beasts with fangs and the odds completely against the knights of Camelot, they always manage to pull through.

Gwaine sometimes thinks he sees that flash of gold in Merlin's eyes, that little _push_ Arthur needs to slay the beast or save the child or defeat the army.

Until the time is right, Gwaine maintains that it's just his mind playing tricks on him.

Merlin's snoring a bit now, and Gwaine tilts his head a bit to look at him.

He's all limbs and sticky pale skin, twisted into a contorted position in an attempt to get comfortable, and Gwaine has to resist the urge to laugh out loud.

He notices then how tense the servant is, his hands rolled up into fists and crossed in front of his chest, his eyebrows furrowed.

Frowning a bit, Gwaine reaches over and gently pries Merlin's arms from their rigid position, muttering, "Relax, Merlin."

He kind of reaches into Merlin's hair and runs his hand through it, just once, because he's just a _kid_ and he was really the first friend Gwaine had ever known and half the time no one really notices how special he is. Sometimes it makes Gwaine angry. How no one sees.

Out of the corner of his eye he sees Arthur glaring at him, looking a bit peeved, and Gwaine clears his throat, looking up at the Prince (now regent King, with Uther indisposed). "Sire," he says.

Arthur nods awkwardly and switches his gaze to Merlin. "He's asleep. Over there," he comments matter-of-factly.

"Yes, due to my amazingly comfortable shoulders. Just one of my many great features." Gwaine shrugs his free shoulder and Arthur rolls his eyes.

"Well make sure he doesn't fall backwards or anything. The idiot's clumsy enough when he's awake; I wouldn't be surprised if he managed breaking a bone while unconscious," Arthur says.

Gwaine nods, pretending to close his eyes for sleep himself, but he lifts his lids just a bit and has to hide a smile.

He watches as Arthur looks around self-consciously before craning his neck to look down at his own shoulder, lifting a hand to clap at it a bit with a furrowed brow and Gwaine lets himself smirk because could he be any more _obvious_?

\---

"Arthur hates me."

Gwaine raises his eyebrows as Merlin sits across from him at the Rising Sun tavern, blinking slowly and sniffing, looking as if he's either going to fall asleep or burst into tears.

Gwaine does a quick count in his head before chuckling, "Merlin. You've had exactly two too many. You lightweight." He reaches over and nudges Merlin's arm affectionately, but when that doesn't bring a smile to the boy's face, Gwaine sighs and says, "No, he doesn't. You always get like this, man. And then you end up standing on top of the barstool and singing 'Land of Hope and Glory' at the top of your lungs, and all is well--"

"That was _one_ time," Merlin interrupts, "And it's different now."

"Different?" Gwaine lifts the mug in his hands and takes a swig of ale. "How?"

Merlin casts Gwaine an utterly forlorn stare, and Gwaine's big (albeit extremely manly) heart almost breaks at the sight (in a very manly way, just to clarify). Then he says, "Arthur's relieved me of my duties for a few days. He didn't explain why, or what I did wrong. He just kicked me out of his chambers."

Gwaine makes a pout of confusion. "Well, we both know Arthur's a git. And you and I are the only ones who give him a good, warm dish of what he hands out to us on a daily basis. Just let him cool off, and--"

"But that's what I don't understand!" Merlin says, exasperated, "I didn't do anything. I didn't even mock his stupid royal arse or his fat head or his prattish behavior. All day, Gwaine. D'you know how hard that is to do?"

Gwaine smiles a bit as Merlin goes on, "I was just, y'know, doing my job. He was frustrated about something, so I went up to him and asked him if he was all right. Because I care about him, Gwaine. More than . . . " He hiccups sadly. "More than I care about anyone. And he's angry at me and I don't know _why_ , and I'd just like him to _tell_ me, to open up to me but he never does. He doesn't trust me."

From what Gwaine knows, a very drunk Merlin is often a truthful one. He moves to sit next to Merlin on the wooden bench in which he's slumped, and wraps an arm around his shoulders, giving him a bit of a shake. "Come on, Merlin. Cheer up. Arthur does trust you. He's a royal idiot with a lot on his shoulders and he needs to have people he can trust. And if there's anything I know for sure, it's that you're one of them."

But Merlin sulks, leaning into Gwaine, and Gwaine sits awkwardly and drinks and thinks it's not a fun night at all.

\---

The next day, Gwaine is training with Arthur, and when all the knights break for the afternoon, Gwaine jogs across the vast castle grounds and yells out, "My lord!"

Arthur whirls around, having been in the middle of ordering around a servant who was not Merlin to pick up some stray equipment on the grass. "Yes, Gwaine?"

Gwaine isn't sure how long he can keep up being polite as he says, "I just had to ask you about Merlin."

Arthur rolls his eyes, making his way back to the castle. "What about him?" Gwaine notices he's avoiding eye contact.

"Look, he's devastated you've let him off, even though it's only for a few days. He says you won't talk to him. And frankly, he's very moody now and he's a horrible drinking buddy." Gwaine crosses his arms and finally catches Arthur's gaze. "Well? What's going on? I'm worried about him." He lets the last bit slip out unintentionally, but he's too annoyed at Arthur's aloofness to care.

Arthur blinks at Gwaine in that you-really-shouldn't-be-so-upfront-with-me-but-I'm-not-surprised sort of way and rubs his eyes wearily. All the other knights have long disappeared from the courtyard, and now it's just a Prince and his slightly reluctant knight, standing in silence.

Finally, Arthur speaks. "I just don't know what to, uh, say to him. So I guess it's best to say nothing at all."

"Is it?" Gwaine counters, deciding to give up on the politeness factor, "You don't see it, do you, Arthur? How much he tries, every day, to make you happy. To make you see he cares. A blind man could see how he stumbles after you no matter how dangerous the cause. A deaf man could hear the desperation in his voice when he's asking if you're all right. You may not see it, but I do. Ask any of us. Lancelot, Leon, even _Percival_ 's noticed it, and Percival doesn't usually do much but talk with his fists--"

"I can't," Arthur interrupts, frustration in his voice, "I can't. You wouldn't understand." He nods curtly and says, "Sir Gwaine," before trudging away.

Gwaine thinks, no, maybe he wouldn't understand, but maybe his job is to do something else entirely.

\---

Gwaine bursts into Gaius' chambers to find a perplexed Merlin and Gaius in the middle of their supper.

"Quickly! Merlin!" he gasps, out of breath, "Arthur needs you outside his chambers right away."

Merlin stands up abruptly and is starting to say, "What's going on?" but Gwaine is already running out and down the stairs and through the corridors before he can let him finish.

 

"Sire!" Gwaine clasps Arthur's shoulder as the Prince is heading out of the throne room, "This is important."

"What is it?" Arthur asks, worry in his brow.

"Merlin's in trouble. He's outside your chambers. You should hurry."

Arthur's already charging down the hall at this point, and Gwaine thinks if that's not proof of his little theory, he doesn't know what is.

When Gwaine makes his way to the doors of Arthur's room, he can't hide the cheeky grin of amusement that makes its way onto his face.

Arthur's looking at Merlin, panting, saying, "I thought you were--"

And Merlin cuts him off with, "Me too, I was just told that--"

Slowly they both turn to face Gwaine, who raises his hands. "I've just about had it with you two."

"Gwaine," Arthur says, seething, "You didn't have any right to--"

"Y'know, I have a life, too," Gwaine says, pouting, "I have things to worry about besides your little ordeal. I've got places to be." He lifts his chin just a bit, tossing his hair. "Ladies to woo. Now, for God's _sake_ , just talk to each other." And with that, he turns on his heel to walk away, and he can just hear the Prince and his servant before their voices fade:

"So," says Arthur, "Shall we talk?"

And Merlin sounds like he's about to burst with joy when he says, "Yes."

\---

Sir Gwaine was essentially perfect in every possible way.

And now, as he idly watched Merlin and Arthur brush their hands together out on the training field in a quiet gesture only Gwaine could see, he could officially add "matchmaking" to the list.


End file.
